Mega's Book of Challenges
by MegaSerperior
Summary: A book filled with challenges for various forums.
1. Hunting Assesment - SorrelClan

"Good job, Pigeonpaw." Darkfoot praised. "You'll make a fine warrior."

Pigeonpaw let out a purr. "What's next?"

"The final part of your assessment is going to test your hunting skills. You must catch five pieces of different prey before..." Darkfoot glanced at the sky. "Sundown."

"When do I start?" Pigeonpaw asked.

"Immediately."

"Okay." Pigeonpaw started off into the forest. "I won't let you down!"

As she continued through bracken, she caught the scent of a mouse. She slipped into a stalking technique and was upon it within minutes. It let out a squeak before she managed to kill with a quick bite.

"Foxdung!" she cursed under her breath, knowing that all the prey in the area had been alerted to her presence. _I'll have to head to Sunningrocks._

 _-x-x-x-x-_

Pigeon paw made her way carefully across the slick rocks. One wrong step and she could be sent plummeting into the rain-swelled river.

She heard a scurrying noise and pricked her ears. Sure enough, she could see a shrew inching out from under a rock. Pigeonpaw narrowed her eyes in concentration and slowly started towards the shrew. Then she pounced on it, killing it with one blow.

 _-x-x-x-x-_

Pigeonpaw counted the prey in her head. Three mice and a sparrow, as well as a shrew. She paused, pondering where to go next. The prey had probably forgotten the mouse's squeal by now, she figured, so she could go there; it _was_ one of the most prey-rich parts of the forest.

 _Yes, that seems like that best option._ She started toward the spot, before spotting an herb patch. _Yarrow! Hawkleaf said he needed that._ She bit off a few leaves and continued, ears open for sounds of prey.

Halfway there, she paused. She could smell a squirrel somewhere nearby. She headed towards the scent, only to find it was up a tree.

 _Well, he said five_ different _pieces of prey._ she thought.

Her decision made, she put the yarrow down at the base of the tree and scrambled up. Quickly noticing her, the squirrel dropped the nut it was munching on and dashed over to the next tree. With a sigh of frustration, Pigeonpaw leaped over to the next tree and pounced on the squirrel before killing with a quick bite. Then she jumped down to a lower branch with the squirrel between her teeth. She took a step towards to next branch and slipped.

She panicked, scrabbling for a claw-hold as she slid off the branch. She unsheathed her claws and dug them into the branch before trying to pull herself back up.

"Helmmuh!" she shouted as best she could around the squirrel. Miraculously, Darkfoot heard her.

"I'm coming, Pigeonpaw! Hold on!" she shouted, scrambling up the tree. She quickly grasped Pigeonpaw's paws and, bracing herself against the trunk, hauled Pigeonpaw up.

"What were you thinking?" Darkfoot asked when they were both safely on the ground. "Climbing a tree like that after it rained!"

"There was a squirrel in the tree!" Pigeonpaw said, gesturing to prey on the ground in front of her. "You said I had to get _different_ five pieces of prey."

"You shouldn't have recklessly endangered yourself like that, even if there was a squirrel!"

"Sorry." Pigeonpaw muttered, looking down. "I guess I'm not going to be a warrior yet."

"Not yet." Darkfoot agreed. "But someday soon. And I look forward to that day."

"So I'll be out of your fur?" Pigeonpaw asked jokingly.

Darkfoot chuckled. "Come on, Pigeonpaw. Let's take this prey back to camp."

Pigeonpaw smiled. "Okay."


	2. Young Death - BunnyClan

Asterleaf hurried to get some feverfew and coltsfoot. Heatherkit was coughing again, her skin hot.

The speckled gray medicine cat ran back over to the kit and felt her temperature.

"How is she?" Bluewing asked, her face filled with worry.

Asterleaf was silent for a moment. "Lilypaw, run to the twoleg dens and see if any of them catmint."

"Okay, Asterleaf," Lilypaw, her apprentice, meowed, and raced through the ThunderClan camp.

"Well?" Bluewing asked. "How is she? Is she going to be okay?"

"She..." Asterleaf paused, unsure if she should continue.

"Well?" Bluewing prompted.

"She's getting worse," Asterleaf admitted. "And... and she has Greencough."

"What? My poor kit!" She wailed. "Please, you've got to save her!"

"Lilypaw's fetching catmint." Asterleaf said. "There's not much more I can do, but feverfew to bring the fever down, and coltsfoot to ease her breathing."

Bluewing's eyes filled with fear. "My poor kit," she whispered. "Please, you've got to pull through."

Asterleaf checked Heatherkit's breathing. It had slowed down. She listened to the kit's shallow breaths a moment more, then shook her head.

"She's not going to make it." Asterleaf meowed.

"No! She has to!" Bluewing wailed. "Please, Heatherkit, your sibling need you! The clan needs you! Please!"

But Heatherkit's shallow breaths faded, and soon stopped altogether.

A moment later, Lilypaw raced into camp, a small sprig of catmint in her mouth. "Asterleaf! I brought the catmint!" she called.

"It's too late." Asterleaf meowed, shaking her head. "Heatherkit rests with StarClan now."


	3. Finding Bunnies - BunnyClan

Syrup darted down the streets, a kit swinging from her mouth. Three cats followed in close pursuit, their fur rugged. Syrup turned a corner, fear gleaming in her eyes. She stopped to put her kit down.

"It'll be alright, Honey, my precious kit," she said. "Now hide, quickly."

Honey whimpered, refusing to leave her mother's side, pressing herself against her mother's calico and white fur.

"Please, Honey, I'll be all right; I just need you to stay safe."

Pawsteps thudded nearby, and a panicked look appeared on Daffodil's face. "Honey, please, you need to run. To run and keep on running. Please!"

The pawsteps sounded closer, and Honey wavered before turning and running.

Just a few seconds later, the three cats raced around the corner. "Well, well," one hissed. "Looks like we've got you cornered."

Syrup barred her teeth in a snarl.

"So you thought you could get away with stealing prey, did you?" Another gray one hissed, turning on the emaciated she-cat. "Well, we'll teach you a lesson."

He lunged at Syrup, claws extended. The others quickly followed suit, and Syrup screeched in pain as they clawed her.

Honey ran on, her mother's screeches echoing in her ears.

She didn't know where to go. All she knew was that the street wasn't safe.

* * *

Honey was wandering near a forested area, the wind pushing against her so that every step forward was a struggle, when a mouse scuttered right in front of her. She was tired and hungry and weak, but she leaped forward, tiny claws extended, at the mouse. But she wasn't fast enough, and it scampered away.

She stared into the forest. Her mother had told her never to go into the forest, that it wasn't safe. But now, she figured that anywhere was more safe than the street, and she walked into it. She let her senses reach out, looking for mice, but there were none.

Hunger pierced her. The encounter with the mouse had made her mouth water, and she kept scenting for food. Her once-beautiful honey-colored fur was matted and dirty, clinging to her skinny frame.

She took another tentative step forward, and listened to the soft chirping echoing through the trees. She had never birdsong before, and the sound intrigued her.

Suddenly she heard pawsteps, and she knew that they were coming for her, coming to kill her like they had her mother. She ran, ran as fast as she could. She had to get away. Her mother had told her that she had to keep safe, no matter what.

Then she stumbled on a rock and crashed against the hard earth floor. She tried to stand and keep going, to keep on running like her mother had told her, but she felt dizzy; the whole forest was spinning, everything blurry. The pawsteps sounded closer, right next to her, and Honey closed her eyes.

 _I'm sorry, Mama. I've failed you._

Then a paw stroked her head and a soothing voice whispered in her ear:

"It's alright, little one, you're safe now. Welcome to Bunnyclan."


	4. Drabble - BunnyClan

Jayfeather knew that he was needed in ThunderClan. He knew very well.

But sometimes he wanted to drift away, back to the time of the Ancients, and stay there.

He wanted to see her again, with her beautiful, soft white fur.

He wanted to spend time with the love of his life.

But he had duties here, and clanmates to tend to.

Yet sometimes when he drifted off to sleep, he could smell Half Moon's sweet scent, and see her in his mind's eye.

And he knew that she would always be there.

Yes, she would wait forever.


	5. Silence - BunnyClan

She looked around the camp, a slight breeze ruffling her fur.

She had always loved the feeling of the wind in her fur, free from her mother's protective grasp, held so close she could hardly breathe.

When she slept beside her mother, she yearned to be outside.

But she still was happy that her mother was watching over her.

.

Her mother cared for her dearly, that she knew.

And she, also, loved her mother back, loved her with all her dear, little innocent heart.

Because her mother was the only one that showed she cared.

Her littermates had learned that she didn't understand them, nor the games that they played.

She was different, and they weren't sure how to think, what to think about her and her silent ways.

.

She was pitied by the others.

Pity that she would never become a warrior.

Pity that she could never amount to anything useful.

Pity that she didn't know what they were saying.

That she was ignorant to the world and its problems.

They should have known better.

.

They feared for her, feared that something would swoop in and kill the innocent kit.

At first, her mother wouldn't allow her outside the nursery. But soon, she was let out, while her mother kept a close watch on the sky.

She didn't understand her mother's fear.

She didn't understand fear in general.

.

She didn't understand the concept of sound or words. To her, everything was an idea, a feeling.

The softness of her mother's fur.

The taste of a squirrel.

The scent the wind carried, of pine and sap.

The color of her fur, of the leaves, and the sky.

And her mother's blue eyes.

.

She was happy.

Happy when she saw her mother.

Happy when she ate a peice of prey.

Happy when the medicine cat worried over her.

Happy when the others sent her looks of pity.

Happy while her mother looked on sadly, knowing that her kit could never be a warrior.

.

She didn't know anything of battles, of warriors, of clans, of duties.

She didn't know that there was another side to the world, one of sound and duty.

She knew not of her silence, because to her, there was no silence.

There was only freedom.

.

Only she could understand that her silence wasn't a burden.

Only she knew that her deafness was a gift.


	6. Loss of Innocence - ScorchClan

A challenge for ScorchClan.

* * *

"Today we have the ceremony of two kits," Goldenstar said. Hawkkit felt a shiver of excitement travel up her spine.

"Lilykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lilypaw. Your mentor will be me. I hope I will pass down all I know to you."

A gasp rose from the assembled cats.

"Leader, what an honor!" one of the cats gasped.

Lilypaw was frozen with shock, her eyes locked on Goldenstar

"Go on, Lilyki- er, paw," Hawkkit whispered, nudging her sister. "You have to touch noses with her."

Lilypaw blushed and scampered up to the leader, briefly touching noses with her. Goldenstar smiled at the new apprentice before continuing the ceremony.

"Hawkkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hawkpaw. Your mentor will be Thornfrost. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you.

"Thornfrost, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Featherwing, and you have shown yourself to be _loyal_ and _fiercely defensive of your clanmates_. You will be the mentor of Hawkpaw , and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Hawkpaw smiled. Goldenstar had made sure that Hawkpaw had the most loyal warrior ever. She must have been glowing, she was so happy as she walked up to touch noses with Thornfrost. _This is the best day of my life._

* * *

Hawkpaw stumbled over a rock as she ran from the enemy warrior that was pursuing her. But, knowing that no RiverClan cat could be faster one of WindClan, she finally whirled around and faced her opponent.

That was when she realized that there were two cats behind her, not one.

"So you think you can just gang up on me!" Hawkpaw snarled. "What honor is there in that?!"

"It's not about _honor,_ " one the apprentices, a muscular white she-cat, sneered. "It's about victory."

Hawkpaw knew she couldn't fight two apprentices at once. She started to back away from them, and then, to her relief, she spotted one of her clanmates.

"Snowtooth!" she called. "Help me!"

But the gray and white warrior ran on, barely sparing her a glance. Hawkpaw turned to the apprentices, unsure of herself, and resumed the battle.

Later she thought of Snowtooth's actions. She had defeated the two older apprentices, as they did not fight well together and ended up fighting themselves. But why had Snowtooth ran on?

 _He must have know that I could handle them,_ Hawkpaw decided. She swelled with happiness and pride. _I defeated two apprentices all by myself!_

* * *

"Hawkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Hawkpaw affirmed, staring up at her leader.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your-" Goldenstar broke off suddenly, looking at the warrior who was sitting behind Lilyfang.

"As if _she_ would defend our clan!" Snowtooth hissed. "You know she can't be trusted!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Goldenstar said coldly, turning back to Hawkpaw.

"The lily will sway and destroy its sister, for a hawk hunts from the river," Snowtooth quoted. "She will hunt and kill us!"

"Snowtooth, you will remain silent," Goldenstar hissed. "Or I will banish you from this clan." Snowtooth fell silent, and Goldenstar turned back to Hawkpaw. "As I was saying..."

But Hawkpaw wasn't listening. In her early apprenticehood she would have been brushing it off, but now Snowtooth's comment tore through her mind like a whirlwind.

 _She can't be trusted._

* * *

"Lilyfang?" Hawkclaw whispered. She had waited until dark to enter the warrior's den.

"There you are, Hawkclaw!" Lilyfang exclaimed happily. "I made your nest for you."

Hawclaw nodded gratefully and padded over to it. "Lilyfang?"

"Mmm?"

"Do you... Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" Lilyfang replied. "Some insane old warrior spouting nonsense isn't going to change that!"

"Really?" Hawkclaw asked.

"Yes," Lilyfang said. "And I always will."

* * *

Hawkclaw slid on the muddy grass as she ran from the two ShadowClan warriors. They were much larger than her, but she was more agile. They were still fast, though.

Hawkclaw let out a screech as one of them bit her tail. She whirled, and let out a snarl as they clawed at her. She glanced around, her eyes searching for a clanmate.

"Redstorm!" she called as she spotted her denmate's tabby pelt. "Help me out here!"

Redstorm hesitated, not meeting Hawkpaw's eyes, then he ran past the three warriors, knocking Hawkclaw to the ground.

 _My own denmate,_ Hawkclaw thought angrily. _Even you would betray me!_ With a snarl of rage, she leapt at Redstorm. She was not the naive apprentice that dismissed her clanmates antagonism towards her. Redstorm had abandoned her, and he would pay!

She sunk her claws into him, flinging him to the ground. Then she tore at his stomach, opening huge gashes. Then she threw him to the ground, his life spilling out of him.

"Hawkclaw!" came an enraged shout. "So the prophecy was true!"

Hawkclaw whirled on the golden tom behind her. Thornfrost let out a howl of shock as Hawkclaw bowled him over, but his scream was cut short as she ripped his throat out.

Anger pulsed through her. No one trusted her! They had to be punished for their betrayal!

She flew through the mass of battling cats, ripping into her clanmates. The were nothing to her anymore, not if they would let her die at the hands of their enemies. She caught a flash of gray and white and hurtled forward.

She leapt at Snowtooth. This was all his fault! Her claws ripped across his face and sliced through his eye. He let out a yowl of pain.

"Hawkclaw! What are you doing?!" Lilyfang yelled in shock.

"None of them trusted me!" Hawkclaw shouted. "They had to be punished."

Tears filled Lilyfang's eyes. "Oh, Hawkclaw," she whispered. "What happened to you? Their antagonism never bothered you before."

"I grew up," Hawkclaw hissed. "I'm smarter now. I know that things will never change! They would never have accepted me! So I have to kill them all!"

"I can't let you," Lilyfang said.

"But..." Hawkclaw faltered. "You said you would always trust me! Because I'm your sister!"

Lilyfang shook her head sadly. "You're not my sister anymore."


End file.
